‘Not right to obstruct anyone’: Manohar Khattar on farmers vandalising venue of ‘kisan mahapanchayat’

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said such an act of protesters had defamed farmers. (Photo credit: ANI)

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has hit out at protesting farmers who vandalised the venue of a proposed ‘kisan mahapanchayat’ programme saying it is not right to obstruct anyone who wants to speak. Khattar, who was scheduled to address people in Karnal’s Kaimla village to highlight the benefits of three farms laws passed by the Parliament, said that India has a strong democracy and no one was ever stopped from expressing his views.

“Our nation has a very strong democratic setup. This allows everyone to express his or her view. We have never stopped anybody from doing this. These alleged farmers and leaders have been giving statements and were never stopped. Despite COVID, we made arrangements for the safety and security of those protesting against the new agri laws. But it is not right to obstruct someone who wants to speak,” the Haryana chief minister said while speaking at a press conference later.

He said that such an act of protesters had defamed farmers and people will not tolerate violation of provisions given by Dr BR Ambedkar. “This incident has sent a bigger message to people than what I had intended to give. Our farmers do not have such a nature. They can be less educated but still, they are sensible,” Khattar said.

It’s not right to obstruct anyone who wants to speak. I don’t think people will tolerate violation of provisions given by Dr BR Ambedkar. Congress had attempted to finish democracy in 1975. At that time people identified their disgusting work & threw them out of power: Haryana CM https://t.co/hJnXjB5zeQ

— ANI (@ANI) January 10, 2021

Khattar alleged that the Congress party and Communists had a major role to play behind such incidents. “The Congress party attempted to finish democracy in 1975. At that time people threw them out of power,” Khattar was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

He also blamed Bharatiya Kisan Union chief Gurnam Singh Chaduni, whose video has been circulating from two days ago, for instigating people. “They cannot spread their wings through these agitations. I condemn today’s incident,” the chief minister said.